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Sunday, July 15, 2012

Dear PMP,
I had coffee with a friend who has a great deal more experience paiting than most of us. She gave me some advice and it hit home.(when the student  is ready the teacher will appear ).
She opined that I am spending a lot more time trying to sell my and others' work,  than painting.
In art school she learned that, if we paint to sell we might fail to evolve as we should (as artists).

She thinks that we should leave the shows to those who do that i.e Pynelogs, The Tour etc. and that we should paint to those deadlines if we wish. She thinks that 2 shows a year is enough to aim for; that we should paint and paint for us. This is a conversation that we have been dancing around for a while, but it has gelled for me.
The Heritage House is perfect for painting and hanging for those who rent space there. It is not yet ready to be an interactive centre with public traffic. The rest of us have to wait for shows to hang our work.

On the other hand it is hard to deny that we have to paint to pay for our habit. Each of us has to look at the options that suit.

I am going to paint at home while I can (Robert is away for the summer) and try to take my friend's advice. I am going to try to tone down the hussle, which saps energy.
I am sharing this musing with you, because it struck me as something that I needed to hear.
Victoria